Cat & Mouse
by Jane-Alenko
Summary: While in New York Connor & Aveline cross paths, their new friendship is on uncertain grounds as the two strong willed Assassin's butt heads. Aveline searches for the elusive Company Man, while Connor teams up with his father to catch Benjamin Church. In time, both will discover dangerous truths that will test their allegiances.
1. Chapter 1

Aveline knew better than to run away from problems, from fears. She once had thought that by becoming part of The Brotherhood she would be stronger than when she lost her mother. Her father's demise & untimely death had proved otherwise.

She consoled herself that she wasn't necessarily running away, rather more she was running to New York to solve that problem. At what cost though? Revenge is motivated by emotion, & can be dangerous if not controlled. She knew this. Vazquez wasn't innocent of crimes, but she had killed him believing him to be the Company Man & out of anger. What if she killed another that was innocent? She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did.

She contemplated her motives for going to New York as she rode hard, only stopping to allow her horse rest. She slept little, her thoughts keeping her preoccupied the entire trip. As she neared the town she would be staying in for the time being, she changed into one of her dresses & pushed her earlier qualms behind her.

When she finally arrived in New York, the contrast between New Orleans was outstanding. She'd have to get used to the feel of the land fast, as it was clear she stood out.

After she booked a room in the town inn, she set out on foot walking through the streets. Her ears were perked for any bit of information, as her eyes followed the behavior of the ladies. The gentlemen took notice of her, but she paid them no mind. However, there was one man stood out to her as he was the only one uninterested in her.

His face was obscured by his hat, but his skin was darker than the others, his build greater & a braid of black hair peeked out from under the hat. His mannerisms were well practiced, but it was evident he was looking for something or someone. Their eyes caught for a moment, his eyes dark in the shadows of his hat. He broke contact first as he pushed off from the wall he was leaning on & walked into the crowd. There was something predatory about the man, she saw it when they made eye contact & it was in his step as he disappeared into the mob. She followed, finding him again & again as he tried to evade her. He stepped into an alley & when she paused at the entrance, she saw it was a dead end. She smiled to herself, congratulating her escapee as she turned to head back to the inn. This man could either be a friend or a foe, but it was clear she now had to keep an eye out for him

Connor waited impatiently for his informant, he had lost track of Haytham after passing through Pennsylvania & he needed to get back on the trail fast if he was to meet him in time. The town was crowded more than usual as he rested against a wall & stared off into the distance. He heard whispers from passerby's of a new lady in town, someone not from the surrounding area.

He could feel eyes upon him & his attention flickered to a lady with dark skin & black hair, much like his own. This must be the lady everyone was speaking about. His gaze met hers & there was something _familiar _in her presence. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not, but decided he had lingered for too long & moved into the crowd.

Turn after turn, she still followed him. Even when he began to sprint through alleys & around corners, she seemed to know what direction he would take yet she didn't hasten to keep up. He needed to shake her, & he was pulling out tricks he hadn't used in a long time until he finally stumbled into an alley with a dead end. He quickly climbed up the wall & onto the roof, watching her pause at the entrance. She bowed her head & mumbled something in what sounded like French as she turned, a smirk on her lips. He had the oddest feeling that she knew he had taken to the roof, but choose to leave him instead. The more he thought about it, the more it felt like the chase was a game of cat & mouse. But who was the mouse & who was the cat?


	2. Chapter 2

Connor spotted the strange woman multiple times throughout the next few days, though he always ended up losing her and that wasn't an easy feat to accomplish. He knew she was currently staying at the inn, a risky and odd choice if she was a spy. But of what she did during those days, he knew nothing of. When he wasn't following her, he was snooping around for what had become of his informant. Without him, it would take much longer to find out what his father was up to and where he was.

One night, he heard some promising news about the location of his absent informant. Cautiously he approached the abandoned old church in the outskirts of the town. The building had been well licked by a fire before being extinguished, it had left the church weak to the elements. As he entered, the snow dusted boards under his feet creaked with his weight. He made his way forward pass the empty pews to the alter. He had barely set his foot down before the ground fell from beneath him and he tumbled into darkness.

He landed on a cold stone floor, narrowly avoiding hitting his head on the hard ground. He stood up and felt around blindly, he could barely see the hole above him in the darkness. The room or hall he was in was very narrow, he followed it with his hand towards what he guessed was the front of the church. Walking through the dark abyss, he can feel the soft decline in the floor and the outline of a door left ajar comes into view. Peeking through he finds the room strangely empty. He enters and shuts the door behind him, moving about quietly. Surveying the room, its lined with book shelves and nothing else aside from a table in the center. The air is musky, dense and has a faint metallic smell.

Pausing in his movements, the faint sound of a voice can be heard. Turning around in the room he moves to where the sound is coming from. Inspecting the floor in front of the book case he notices scratches in the wood and drops of blood. Pulling on the shelf reveals it to be merely a cover up for a door. Opening it, the room is dimly lit and filled with bodies. Looking over the dead, they've all been killed cleanly and precisely. Moving to the desk, he begins to flip through the pages when he hears a low whimper below him. The man shrinks back from him in fear, begging to be spared. There is a soft swish, a sound he is familiar with, of a blade being unsheathed. Turning, he ducks from the blow and knocks the machete out of his attackers hand. Pulling forward the offending arm, he traps the person's arms behind their back for a moment.

"Who are you?" Connor gruffly asks.

The offender remains silent, slamming their head back into his before he can move out of the way and slips from his grip. They swipe his legs out from beneath him, but he recovers and sends a blow straight to their stomach. The two fighters exchange blows, equally matched despite his opponents smaller figure. He is stronger, but they are quicker. He manages to get his arms locked around their neck, but they surprise him by flipping him onto his back. The air in his lungs is knocked out as his back slams into the floor, disorientating him for a moment while his opponent retreats. Following close on his attacker's heels, they peel out of the room and through the dark hallway. He stumbles to the end of the hallway and up stairs that bring him back to the level of the church. His attacker vanishes into the dark woods, long black braids trailing in their wake.

Aveline follows the man through the woods into a burned down church where he lifts up a piece of the floor to reveal stairs heading down into the ground. Waiting in the shadows as she counts to ten, she makes her way to the trap door and quietly eases it open. Slipping down into the gloom, the man's torch can dimly be seen ahead. The tunnel winds down for a while before he comes to a door, knocking once and then three times. The door swings open, illuminating the hallway as she shrinks back against the wall. Voices come from behind the door as she slinks up to the keyhole and peers in, there are four guards around the room, the man she was trailing and another to which he is conversing with. The pair stops in front of a book case and pulls it forward, opening a door hidden behind it. Deciding the best way to enter is to be up front, she simply opens the door and steps inside. The four guards attention snap to her and shout at her to stay where she is. They bind her hands and the other man emerges from the hidden room.

"Who are you and what do you want?" The man asks.  
She answers in French, knowing he cannot understand her.  
"Don't play games with me child, I'm not a very nice person when I'm angry." He says again, getting in her face.  
"You die now." She answers, her hidden blades springing free and cutting her binds. She snaps one guards neck, breaks the knee of another and shoves his nose into his brain.

Grabbing the gun of another, she slams the butt of it into his wind pipe, crushing it. The last guard draws his sword, but she's quicker and buries her hidden blades into his lungs.

"Most impressive, but I won't talk no matter what you do." The man says, eyeing the blade she holds at his neck.  
"I doubt that, but I don't need you to speak." She says, her blade receding back into her sleeve. Her hands come up to his face, lightly caressing his cheek before forcing his head into an unnatural position.

She steps over his limp form and takes out her blowpipe. Opening the door, the man she trailed stands front and center, his gun trained on her.

"Sur-" He starts, his sentence cut off by a poison dart lodged in his neck. He falls to the ground, the gun clattering to the floor. There is a man tied to a chair, his mouth bound and his eyes fraught with fear. She slowly makes her way to him, undoing the gag around his mouth.

"Shh, I'm not here to hurt you. I came to free you in turn for some information. Please don't run, you're safe now." She says, cutting his hands free.  
"Wha...what do you want?" He stammers, rubbing his wrists.  
"Do you know anything about an Officer Davidson?" She asks, backing up to give him room.  
"Last I heard he was with the Ethiopian Regiment, don't know where they are though." He says, trying to stand up.  
"No, don't try to move. I need to check first-" She starts, when a low rumble echos throughout the rooms.  
"Stay here, I don't think we're alone." She says, walking back into the other room. She opens the door and sticks her head out into the hallway, listening. The soft tread of shoes upon the stone floor confirms her suspicions. She quickly drags the bodies of the guards and man into the other room, closing the door behind her.

"What is it?" He says, beginning to shake as fear returns.  
"Someone is coming, there is only one but they will know something is amiss when they find the room empty. Stand up and hide under the desk." She says, helping him to the desk.  
"Whatever you do, stay quiet." She says, extinguishing most of the lights and recedes into a dark corner.

She can hear the book shelf scraping as its moved, and the door handle creaks as its turned. The stranger steps in and examines the pile of bodies before moving to the desk. He looks over the papers, but something under the desk draws his attention. The man provides a suitable distraction and she lunges, but her blade is knocked out of her hand. The hooded figure pulls her arms behind her, demanding her identity.

She slams her head back, successfully breaking his hold and kicks his legs out from underneath him. The man is quick to get back on his feet and manages to hit her in the stomach. He's strong and in turn she uses his movements against him, knowing she lacks his strength. He pulls her into a headlock, a mistake, as his taller form allows her to throw him over her shoulder. The prisoner is long gone and she follows suit, dashing out and through the tunnel. She's faster than the man and disappears into the woods before he can catch her.

She takes her time, losing her trail in the woods just in case. By the time she makes her way back to the town, the sky has begun to turn the vibrant shades of dawn. Exhausted and body aching where he hit her, she scales the building and slips in through the window. Tossing her hat onto the bed, she takes off her boots and holster.

"Now what would a lady of your supposed status, be doing sneaking in at this hour?"


	3. Chapter 3

_*Author's Note: In regards to the two first chapters, I made a mistake in the time frame I wanted to set this in. I have corrected them, but just so you know this does occur in 1777 & due to that Connor is searching for Benjamin Church not Haytham like I said initially. He hasn't made it to the church to meet his father yet._

Aveline stopped in her tracks and turned around to see the man step from the shadows, holding up her holster, much to her dismay. She was unarmed except for her hidden blades and her hands.

"What do you want with me?" She asks, crossing her arms.  
"I am not here to fight, I simply wish to know who you are and what you were doing in that abandoned church." He asks, putting down her holster and his weapons with it.  
"Why is it important to you?" She asks, turning to light candles.  
"We could help each other." He says, stepping up behind her.  
"What makes you think I need your help?" She says, blowing out the match.  
"That is not—-" He starts, as she turns and punches him hard across the jaw.

The man falls limp to the ground, knocked unconscious. She pushes his hood back to reveal his face, his skin is lighter than hers and he has strong facial features. She fingers the braid by his ear, before inspecting his clothes. Her hands stop on his bracers and she briefly traces the Brotherhood's insignia, proof of what she already had guessed. She manages to lift him up onto her bed, contemplating how long it'll be before he's up again. She doesn't want him to come around without her aware of it, she needs to explain everything to him first. She strips him of his weapons & hides them from him, going to change out of her dirty clothes.

When she returns, he's starting to come to. She sits in a chair opposite the bed, watching him sit up clutching his head.

"I apologize for punching you." She says.  
"Why'd you punch me? I said I only wished to talk." He says, his temper flaring as he reaches for his tomahawk.  
"I wasn't sure you were an Assassin and I couldn't take the risk that I was wrong, it's much easier to run away from your enemy when they're knocked out, yes?" She says, a teasing glint entering her eyes.  
"Who are you? What have you done with my weapons?" He says, trying to sit up.  
"Aveline De Grandpre, your 'brother' from New Orleans. And I've hidden them, I was afraid you might try to kill me without first allowing me to explain." She says, moving the help him up but he waves her off. She instead goes to retrieve his weapons.  
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" He says, rubbing his jaw.  
"You can ask Achilles, my mentor sent him a letter before I left, stating my arrival. It should be here now." She says, placing his weapons in front of him.  
"What is it that you want?" He says, getting to his feet and putting everything back in its place.  
"Your help. I need to find the Ethiopian Regiment, I'm looking for a man and he is with them." She says.  
"You cannot track?" He asks.  
"I'm not familiar with the land and I'm poor at tracking in the snow, it would go along faster if I had your help…Pardon, but you never told me your name?" She says, extending her hand.  
"Connor," He says, knocking her hand aside as he walks to the window.  
"If you want my help, we go now." He says, leaping out the window and into the snow drift below.

Connor decides against following the mysterious person and instead sets to the task of finding his informant. When they started fighting, he must have slipped out from the desk and fled into the woods. He had left clear footprints and Connor had no difficulty catching up to him.

"Stop! It is I, Connor, the one whom you were to meet with those days ago." He says, holding up his hands.  
"Connor? If it is you, then why'd you fight that woman?" The man asks.  
"Woman?" He asks, confusion lighting his face.  
"Aye, she made a ruckus coming in & killing those men. I thought she meant to kill me too but she set me free in turn for some information." The man says.  
"What information?" He asks.  
"She wanted to know where a man was. Very strange lady, she looked of your ilk but darker skin." The man says.  
"Thank you, I must go now." He says, remembering when he last saw a woman described as such.

**-**  
**I would've updated sooner but I didn't have any idea what to write & to me this sucks, it's like a fluff piece just to fill in chapters, grr it's frustrating. But I promise I have exciting things to come!**


	4. Chapter 4

While Connor tracked on the ground, Aveline had taken to the trees. She swung and leapt with an ease and sureness earned throughout the years, moving quietly above him as she kept an eye for any danger.

They traveled in silence, both unsure of the other and preferring not to engage in idle conversation. Aveline curiously watched the man below her, he was a strange creature. He threw his entire attention into the tracks, taking to them like a predator on the hunt.

When the afternoon had long passed, Connor called out to her. Aveline dropped down beside him and they took to their tasks. By the time the sun withdrew from the forest, they had a camp set up besides a stone wall. It was a cold night and they weren't in enemy territory yet, so they indulged in one last fire. They knew without speaking who would go hunt and who would tend to the fire, acting on intuition. It worked out well, as both seemed to have a fair understanding of the others intentions. They sat on opposite sides of the fire eating the plump hare; when the carcass was picked clean and their bellies full, they felt sleeps tendrils creeping upon them.

"I will take the first watch, I cannot fall asleep after eating." Aveline said, resting back on the rock wall. It had begun to snow lightly and the snow flakes caught onto her eyelashes as she gazed unseeing into the black forest.

Connor nodded toward her blank stare and curled toward the wall, his mind drifting into a fearful sleep. It was the same dream each night, a moment he hated but was cursed to relive each and every time he closed his eyes.

_He could feel the heat of the fire on his skin, his mother trapped under the weight of a fallen wall. No matter how hard he tried to lift it, he could not. His mother stilled his hands, her face bloodied and fraught with fear, fear for his life but not her own. Her words echoed in his ears, as if he had heard them moments ago. _

_"You will think yourself alone, but know that I will be at your side. Always and forever." _

_Then he was being ripped from her side, her hand falling from his. She looked on, her lips telling him for the last time of the love she had for him. The ceiling collapsed on her, cutting her out of his life forever and puncturing a hole in his heart that would fail to heal, even after all these years._

Aveline watched Connor sleeping, he was breathing hard and heavy, shuddering every so often. It seemed as if they both shared a burden, something they wished would go away but never would. Her thoughts turned to her mentor, how she could never seem to please him or do what he wished of her. She missed her father and mother, longing to be in their company.

Connor woke with a start, laying paralyzed and breathing hard as he returned from the vividness of the nightmare.

"You may sleep now, I cannot any longer." Connor said after a while, sitting up and warming his chilled hands by the fire.  
"Is something the matter? I can still watch for a while, it's only been a few hours." Aveline said, concern lighting her eyes as the fire danced in them.  
"You would not understand. Sleep now." Connor said, his face a mirror of stone.  
"Try me." Aveline said, turning her attention to him.  
"No." Connor said, his voice like steel.  
"I will not push you to talk, but know this, you do not know anything until you try it." Aveline said, her voice soft. She slid her back down the wall and curled away from him.

Connor watched her a moment longer before thinking of her words, his nightmare long forgotten. When the forest began to awake with it's morning music, Connor woke Aveline.

As they traveled through the woods, the tracks left by the regiment got easier to follow and Aveline soon spotted a camp ahead. Before she could say anything, a man shouted.

"Go after the sentry! I will hold off these men." Connor growled up at her as he took off toward the camp, the men stirring.

Without a second thought Aveline jumped, ran and swung after the man, gaining fast on him as he stumbled through the deep snow. Like a mountain lion she lunged from her perch on the tree and tackled the man to the ground.

"Where is Officer Davidson?" Aveline demanded, pulling out her knife and pressing it to his throat.  
"Who?" The man asked, fear creeping into his gaze.  
"Come on! Time's up." Aveline said, the knife digging deeper into his throat.  
"He's in the fort." The man said, relinquishing the information easily.

Aveline spared the man and ran back to the camp to help Connor. He was engaged with multiple targets and one had managed to sneak up behind him, his sword raised. She ran in, stopping the man's blade with her own.

"Not today monsieur." Aveline said, out dueling him and sliding his throat.

Together they dispatched the targets quickly and Aveline filled him in on what had happened in regards to the sentry.

"Then we climb." Connor said, a teasing tone in his voice and a challenge in his eyes as they walked to the frozen waterfall.

Connor climbed ahead of her, taking pleasure in the thrill of the climb. He wondered how well Aveline would do, so far her talent for climbing was strictly reserved only to trees. But she reached the first ledge before him and slid along the wall, smirking down at him as she found the next hold and began pulling herself up. After she passed him, he could not catch up again. She had smaller hands than him and was taking advantage of holds too narrow for his own. She reached the top before him, dangling her feet over the edge and boastfully smiling as he climbed up. When he made it to the top and climbed over the edge, the mask was in place over his face again but softer around the edges.

"I hope you're not a sore loser." Aveline said, teasing him.

Instead of answering Connor gave a small grin and walked off toward the fort, leaving Aveline to follow. The trail ahead of them was guarded, but was no match for the two assassins. They followed it to a collapsing bridge, both leaping across the creaking beams till they reached a gap too far to jump.

"Wait here." Aveline said, taking her whip out and catching it on a beam over head.

She swung across, landing on her feet with ease and kicked down a lose beam for Connor to walk across.

"Thank you." Connor said, as he joined her on the other side.


	5. Chapter 5

The fort was heavily guarded and the walls were high with few footholds or blind spots where the sentries could not see.

"Can you find a way in?" Connor asked, turning to her.  
"The south-east corner, there are a few trees I could possibly climb onto." Aveline answered.  
"Good. I will go around and create a distraction." Connor remarked as he ran off, leaving her to climb the trees.

Aveline needed to be quick, she trusted Connor could hold his own but who knew how many that fort housed. She pulled herself up onto a tree limb, hopping and swinging to each branch. When she neared the fort wall, she realized she had miscalculated the gap as it was too far to jump. She needed to think quick as the guard would be coming around again soon and then she spotted high above her, a branch. It was too high and far away for her to jump onto, but maybe with her whip she could swing across...

Her whip cracked and latched onto the branch, swinging her over the gap. She freed her whip, just as the guard came into view. She slipped over the edge and waited as he passed on by unaware, springing up to pull him to his death.

She made her way to the watchtower, dispatching any guards that she came across and briefly wondered how Connor was fairing. Upon opening the door though, all other thoughts vanished when she saw who was standing inside the room.

_George. How could he do this? Why would he do this? Nothing he was saying made any sense. How could he hate slavery and what it's done to him, his people, yet fight for the British? _

She fought the guards, easily taking them down. She cut George in the stomach before knocking his sword out of his hands as he fell backwards. There came a loud bang near by and George took this opportunity to run from the room, locking the door behind him. She didn't have the strength to break the door down.

"You can't trap me George, I will stop you!" Aveline yelled at the door, hitting it once before turning to look at the walls around her.

She ran up the ramp and grabbed one of the protruding building struts, swinging onto a window as she made her way to a ledge. She didn't bother trying the door as she knew it was likely locked and continued along the edging until she was at the top. In the distance she could see George's carriage and without a second thought she dove into the hay below. His carriage passed her and she pulled her pistol, blowing the axle of a wheel. The carriage turned over and dumped George out onto the snow.

He moved nary a muscle, a small crimson rose blossoming on the snow around him. The burden of her guilt, of the lives she has taken fell heavy on her heart as she looked at this once friend. She stayed with him as he drew his final breath, his last words ringing in her ears, _The answer has been in your own backyard all along. Just open your eyes.  
_  
"Find peace and freedom in deaths embrace, my friend." Aveline whispered, as she folded his hands on his breast and shut his eyes.

There is yelling coming from the fort behind her and she immediately snaps back to reality, remembering where she is. Her heart sinks when she realizes Connor must still be inside and she sneaks around to the front.

The courtyard of the fort looks like a battle field, bodies laying about and the ground stained red. In the center two men are holding a man on his knees. Connor. She has to give him credit, there are more bodies dead than there are living but she took too long. She should have been there. Another man stepped up to the group, said some words to Connor; his response must have displeased the man for he punches Connor hard across the jaw.

They left no guards at the fort opening and it serves to her advantage as she slips through the gate undetected and into the brush. She dashes up the near by stairs and takes out each of the guards, quietly laying their bodies down.

Connor sees a shadow cross above on the wall and his eyes meet with Aveline's, she holds a finger to her lips as she makes her way to the remaining guards on the wall. The man continues to talk to him, boasting of his capture as Aveline walks down the stairs into the courtyard.

"I highly suggest you release him now." Aveline sneered, stepping into view of the men.  
"Now why would I do that? You're just a silly girl playing dress up with her fathers clothes." The man spit.  
"Fine, have it your way." Aveline smirked, walking towards the guards.

Each time they lunged she was quick to evade and they soon began to tire. When one had gotten behind her, she turned and the blade stabbed not her but the other guard. She then drove his own blade back into his gut and turned to face the remaining man.

"I suppose you'll ask me to surrender and in turn you'll let me go, is that right sweetheart?" The man asked, pulling Connor up on his feet.

Connor's eyes meet hers and she fingers her pistol, understanding lighting his face.

"No." Aveline smirked, pulling out her pistol as Connor ducks down and her shot hits its mark.

The man falls back and collapses, a halo of blood around his head. Aveline moves to Connor and cuts his bonds, helping him up. They were in no rush to leave as the fort was now deserted; in time someone would come to see what had happened and then there would be new guards to stand where the slaughtered now laid.

Connor walked into a room off the side and emerged shortly after with his weapons.

"We should head back to Davenport, Achilles will want to meet you." Connor stated.  
"Very well, I need time to think anyway." Aveline said, turning to walk.  
"And Aveline, thank you." Connor added, touching her arm to stop her.  
"You're welcome." Aveline smiled.

They started off toward the nearest town, needing supplies and horses. The silence this time was different and time passed quickly, they reached the town before the sun had set.

"We could stay at the inn, we're in no trouble and we'll be gone the next morning." Aveline remarked, as they paused outside the town.  
"We're both exhausted and in no shape to camp outside exposed." Aveline interrupting, seeing him about to protest.  
"We're gone by sunrise tomorrow." Connor says, stifling a yawn.

As they entered the small town, few even took notice of them. Aveline wondered how she would write off their appearance and lack of horses, when an idea popped into her head. It was a likely story but had a feeling Connor would disprove of one part of it.

"If anyone asks, our story is we're recently married and we were traveling down to your family. Our horses and supplies were lost because of wolves." Aveline whispers.  
"We are not married." Connor protests.  
"That's the only possible explanation for us to be traveling together." Aveline says, staring hard at him.  
"Fine." Connor grumbles.

They stepped into the inn and Aveline made a show of being exhausted, the woman behind the counter glancing their way.

"My dear children, are you alright? You look miserable, come in, come in!" The older woman said, rushing to them.  
"Do you have any rooms to stay in? We lost our horses and most of our supplies, a pack of wolves attacked us in the night." Connor said, as Aveline feigned fright.  
"Oh of course dear, we have one left." The older woman replied, leading them to the stairs.  
"It might be too much to ask for, but could I possibly take a bath?" Aveline asked, as the woman walked them to their room.  
"Oh no trouble at all, I'll have the man bring up the bath and water. I'll bring up some food as well, you must be famished." The older woman said, smiling happily at the pair as they entered the room.  
"Thank you." Aveline said, shutting the door.

"See? That wasn't so hard." Aveline says, turning to look at the room. There's a large bed in the center and a fireplace opposite it, a thin curtain separating the two areas and a chair by the fireplace.

"I will sleep on the floor." Connor states, moving to start a fire.

The man comes with the bath and Connor leaves to help him carry water up, the missus coming to give her their food. When the men have finished filling the tub by the fireplace, the water is steaming. Connor is busy eating beside the bed when Aveline begins to peel off her dirty clothes, dropping them to the floor as she steps into the bath. The water rising up around her body and enveloping it in warmth as it soothes away the soreness from fighting earlier.

Connor glances up when he hears the water splashing, Aveline's bare back visible through the thin curtain, the fire dancing around her silhouette. She takes her hair down and begins upbraiding the strands, the muscles in her back rippling with the slight movements.

"I will go pay for our room & ask about horses & supplies." Connor says, fleeing the room without a backward glance.


	6. Chapter 6

Aveline was surprised at first when Connor had fled the room, but when she was done bathing and stepped on the other side of the curtain she found out why. The thin fabric had become see through with the fire lighting everything in the background. Embarrassed, she put on the clothes the missus had gave them when she dropped by their food and was about to step out of the room when the door swung open, hitting her hard across the face. About to fall, she was caught by strong arms.

"Ow." Aveline mutters, tears clouding her eyes as she reaches up to grab her nose. The blood beginning to fall seeps over her fingers and she can feel a headache coming on.

"I'm sorry, I did not know you were there." Connor says, still supporting her weight.  
"It's alright. I was coming to look for you, the bath is free." Aveline says, her words muffled by her fingers.  
"Oh, thank you." Connor says, releasing her and stepping back.  
"I should go stop the bleeding." Aveline says, walking by as he moves out of the way.

Connor shuts the door and undresses, stepping into the bath. The water is warm enough and he tries shrugs off the memory of what he saw earlier.

Aveline walks downstairs, managing not to get any blood on the floor or her clothes. The missus lends her a cloth to hold to her nose until the bleeding stops, the older woman's look curious but not overwhelming.  
"May I ask what happened?" The missus asks gently, sitting down on a stool and patting the one next to her.  
"I was coming to find Con—my husband, when the door swung open and hit me in the face." Aveline says, quick to correct herself.  
"If I might say, you two are an odd pair," the missus holding up a finger before Aveline could respond. "But there's no denying the connection you share." The missus adds.

Aveline heard what the woman was saying, but couldn't really wrap her head around it. She hadn't been aware that Connor or her had anything, aside from an understanding of their duty to the Brotherhood. She knew something bothered him from his past, but what it was she did not. He knew nothing of importance of her either, they had barely spoken longer than a few words exchanged here and there.

Aveline removed the rag from her nose, the bleeding having stopped. She cleaned her face and smiled at the woman, thanking her.

"You go get some rest, you two have an early morning tomorrow. Goodnight." The missus says, patting Aveline on the cheek.  
"Goodnight." Aveline says, her mind still on the woman's earlier words.

Aveline knocks on the door lightly, and a bare chested Connor opens it, his shoulder length hair still dripping wet. He moves aside to allow her in and closes the door, returning to the chair next to the fire.

"How is your head and nose?" Connor asks, securing his hair back in a pony tail.  
"Better, thank you." Aveline answers, coming to warm herself by the fire.  
"I have secured our horses and supplies for tomorrow, they will be ready before sun rise. After that we should be in the Homestead by nightfall." Connor says, resting his forearms on his knees.

Aveline finds her herself tracing the length of his arms to his chest and snatches her gaze away. She retreats from the fire and goes to the bed, opening the sheets. The bed is large, with room for at least three.

"If in the night it becomes too cold or you are uncomfortable, I will keep to one side of the bed and you may sleep on the other. There is more than enough space for both of us." Aveline simply states, sitting on the edge and toeing off her boots.  
"Thank you, but—" Connor begins, but Aveline interrupts him.  
"I insist, I don't want you falling asleep on your horse or getting sick because of the cold. Well, goodnight." Aveline says, sliding into the bed and blowing out the candle on the nightstand.

Connor knew it was useless to protest and unless he could keep the fire going all night, she was right.

"Goodnight." Connor replied, pulling a shirt on as the cold started seeping into the room.

The fire would go strong for another hour or so, then he would climb into bed with her. He reminded himself that it was acceptable, as all they were doing was sleeping and the bed was large enough that they'd likely never be very close. But something else nagged at him besides being a gentleman, this would be the closest he's ever been with a woman. It wasn't that he didn't desire to have a woman, a companion, but he didn't have the time for one. Regardless, there had never been a woman that caught his attention, they were all the same. He could not invest himself, emotionally or physically, to someone he truly didn't care about. To him, getting into that bed, however innocent it was, felt like cheating to that unknown woman.

Nevertheless, when the fire did start to go out and he was sure Aveline was fast asleep, he climbed into the bed. It was more comfortable than the floor would be, and he fell asleep soon after.

Connor is the first to wake in the morning, having slept soundly for the first time in a while and without a single nightmare. Opening his eyes, Aveline is curled around his side, resting her cheek on his chest. Sometime in the middle of the night they must have moved towards each other subconsciously. He takes the opportunity to examine her face, the long dark lashes brushing her high cheek bones and her full lips moving slightly with each passing breath. Her long hair cascades around her shoulders and back, and his hand rests on the junction of her small waist. Carefully, he removes his hand and withdraws from the bed. He gently wakes her, and her eyes blink up at him lazily.

"Time to go." Connor whispers, pulling on his jacket and gathering their ruined clothes.

Aveline groggily slips her feet into her shoes and follows Connor out of the room. Outside the sun has yet to rise, but their horses are waiting and she steps up into the saddle.

They set off, only stopping briefly to give the horses rest and to eat. Back into the old routine they've developed, they ride for miles without a word when Connor breaks the silence.

"We're here, the Homestead." Connor says, a small smile on his lips as they pass over a bridge.

Aveline sights the manor through the trees in the waning light and man with skin darker than hers steps out to meet them, laying heavily on his cane.

"And who might this be, Connor?" The man asks, staring at Aveline.

Connor dismounts and Aveline follows suit, going to stand beside him.

"This is Aveline, the assassin from New Orleans. Aveline, this is Achilles, my mentor." Connor says, motioning between the two.  
"Pleasure to meet you." Aveline says, smiling at the man.  
"Come, come, you both must be tired from riding all day and you'll have to fill me in on what has occurred over the last week." Achilles says, walking into the manor with Connor and Aveline in tow.

**-  
****I apologize in advance if the next few chapters are posted sporadically, usually I try to post one every 5-7 days, but I have college apps that need attention & end of the semester work.**

This is straying a little from what happens in the games, but it'll tie back in with what does really happen. I'm trying to keep it as close as possible to the events that happen in game. Happy Holidays everyone! :)


	7. Chapter 7

The evening transitioned slowly into the night as the events of the previous weeks was shared. Achilles remained silent through most of it, making slight comments and remarks in passing. They had told it all, only leaving out the bed they had shared the previous night and how Aveline had to free Connor from the fort. When it was well into the night and everything had long been discussed, sleep began to make itself known as they yawned and their eyes drooped.

"Connor, show Aveline to a room. I think it is about time we all retire and get some rest from the excitement of today. Good night." Achilles said, walking off to his room.

The pair stood up quietly and regarded each other for a while before Connor motioned to the stairs. The steps creaked slightly with the weight as they moved up them, the only sound in the otherwise quiet house. He led her to a room on one end of the hall, it was spacious and looked out over the water in the distance.

"Thank you." Aveline said, turning to face Connor. His large frame took up most of the door, his face was drawn from exhaustion.  
"Good night." Connor said, withdrawing across the hall to his room.

Aveline shuts the door and sits on the beds edge, taking her hair down. Her scalp is tight with the tension left over from the braids, a headache beginning to form. She undresses and slips down under the soft sheets, fatigue pulling her under. When she wakes, the early morning light streams in from the windows. She stretches the sleep from her bones and gets dressed, finding a pair of clean pants and a shirt in the drawers. Stepping into the hallway she glances at Connor's closed door before she slips downstairs to the kitchen and begins making breakfast.

After some time Achilles hobbles in, woken from the smells drifting from the kitchen.

"Good morning. It smells delicious, thank you." Achilles says, sitting down and taking in the aroma of the food.  
"Good morning, and it's the least I could do." Aveline says, setting down a plate for Connor and herself.  
"Connor should be around any moment, he has issues sleeping and tends to wake early to go hunting. I expect you'll be leaving today?" Achilles asks in between bites of food.  
"I'm afraid I'll have to ask your indulgence for a while longer." Aveline says, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I find it would be easier to decipher the information I received here without rushing into things back home."  
"Of course you're welcome here, it would be well to have a woman's company around for once. Connor will certainty benefit from having another assassin around, I'm sure there are some things you can teach him that I've overlooked or forgotten." Achilles says, reaching for Aveline's hand & squeezing it gently.  
"Thank you, for everything-" Aveline starts as the front door closes and Connor walks in.  
"Good morning." Connor says briskly, sitting down and digging into the food.  
"We have some news to tell you, Aveline will be staying with us for a while. It'd be in your best interest for you to train together." Achilles says, releasing Aveline's hand.

Connor nods in acknowledgement but remains quiet, focusing on the food in front of him. Inside, he is happier than he should at the prospect of Aveline staying. Achilles stands and hobbles away, leaving them alone in the room. He can feel her eyes on him and he glances up, eyes locking.

"The food is good." Connor mumbles out between bites, looking down again.

Aveline watches him for another moment, noting how his jaw works as he crews and how his lips move. A piece of food gets stuck on the outside of his mouth and his tongue darts out to retrieve it, her eyes cataloging the movement before returning them to his eyes. She starts, discovering that while she watched his lips, he had watched her. He sets his fork down and wipes his hands together, his tongue licking his lips again as her eyes are drawn to the movement. Darting a glace from his eyes to his lips, she gets up and mutters a delayed thank you as she heads outside.

She strolls aimlessly through the woods, brushing her hand on passing trees as she tries to be rid of the feelings inside her. Even though she is troubled about who might be the enemy hiding in her backyard, a part of her was thrilled to be staying. There was a growing fascination and curiosity towards Connor, but she didn't have an inkling as to why.

Her walk had taken her far as she stumbled across the booming Davenport village, the children chasing each other as their parents were hard at work. She spotted Connor talking to a group of men, their laughter drifting towards her as she watched. Two children came running up behind Connor, one latching to his leg the other pulling at his shirt. He lifted the one up and said something to the child, a smile lighting his lips. It was a nice smile, very nice indeed.

Connor ambles over to a house, handing the child to their mother as he tries to coax the child wrapped around his leg to let go.

"Come little one, I have to go do something for your father." Connor says, ruffling the child's hair playfully.  
"I wanna come." The child wines, holding tighter to his leg.  
"Not this time, but soon." Connor says, the child's resolve weakening.  
"Okay." The child says, letting go and frowning up at him.  
"Run along little one." Connor says, bending down to chuck the child on the chin and nudge them toward their waiting sibling.

He stands and turns to leave, but a figure in the woods captures his attention. Aveline peeks around a tree watching him before she retreats back into the woods. He walks back to the house as his mind strays back to Aveline and try as he might, he couldn't stop thinking about her. Something about her unnerved him every time he was around her. He couldn't recall anyone having this affect on him, it was strange.

Arriving at the homestead he focused on the task at hand as he went to the back, retrieved an ax and cart, heading into the woods to chop wood. Many of the men were too busy with their own work or jobs to have enough time to cut up wood and the women had their children to look after, so he volunteered to lend a hand. He shrugged out of his jacket and shirt as he went to work. Each log was cleaved in half with each forecful swing, the pile growing as he split the wood. Sweat ran down his back even though his breath could be seen.

Aveline shortly ran into Connor again, but he didn't seem to notice her presence. He was in deep concentration chopping wood and sparing a glance, she marveled at the strength he possessed. The muscles in his back flexed and bulged with each swing, a light sheen of sweat was slick over the skin despite the cold chill in the air. She leaned against a tree and cleared her throat, alerting him as he swung around.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Connor snaps, annoyed at how easily she had snuck up on him.  
"Doing what?" Aveline asks innocently, crossing her arms in front of her.  
"Watching me." Connor says, mimicking her movements and crossing his arms in front of his chest. Her eyes flicker down to his chest before returning to his face.  
"We keep crossing paths, and it is a hobby of mine to watch people, my pardon." Aveline says, her tone unapologetic.  
"Why?" Connor asks, scowling at her.  
"I supposed I could let you in on a secret of mine...it gives me an advantage by being observant. People tend to act in similar ways and you can pick out patterns and guess at what they're thinking." Aveline says, tilting her head thoughtfully and looking him over. "I've had no suck luck with you."  
"Well, stop it." Connor orders, picking up his shirt and putting it on again.  
"I did notice that you have a sword sitting inside, do you know how to use it?" Aveline asks, moving to help him pick up the cut wood and dropping it in the nearby cart.  
"No, and I do not suppose you know how to either?" Connor says, unwillingly admitting his lack of talent for the blade.  
"I do. If you'd like I could teach you, but only if you teach me the bow." Aveline bargains.

He hesitates, knowing it would be invaluable to learn while she was her but not thrilled at the idea of teaching her. She raises an eyebrow at his silence, teasing him.

"Very well, we can begin now." Connor says, giving in as tows the cart back to the house.

They stand outside in a clearing facing each other as Aveline instructs how he should stand. She nudged his legs apart and turned his chest this way and that, sometimes smacking his arm when it slacked from it's position. He had forgotten how much he hated training, it's drilling slow pace. They had been focusing on his stance and movement for the past hour, his impatience grew.

"I think that is enough, I am ready to try dueling." Connor says, agitation laced through his voice.  
"No, you're not." Aveline protests, lowering her sword & shaking her head slowly.

His temper breaks and he lunges at her to prove that he is. She calmly weaves away from his strikes and swats them away with ease. He attacks blindly and in rage, allowing her to elbow him and knock him back. Reeling, he goes at it again, only to be hit back causing him to drop his sword. Still he doesn't give up and instead pulls her forward, knocking the swords from her hands.

Aveline's annoyance grew, how could she teach him if he wouldn't darn well let her? Her hands empty, she thrust her fist at his gut and swung around to his face. He narrowly missed the hand flying at his face, but took her punch at his stomach. She was aware she couldn't hit as hard as he could, but she knew the tender and weak spots where strength wasn't needed to render someone useless. She danced away from his wild blows, as he relied on strength and power rather than her speed and precision. She jumped and kicked at his chest, sending him sprawling on the ground. Clearly the fall had knocked the wind out of him, giving her hope he had given up as she skirted around him. He sputtered for a moment before lunging for her leg, pulling her down onto the ground beside him. He straddles her hips and pulls her arms over her head before leaning down, his face less than an inch away from hers.

"Give up." Connor growls, his eyes boring into her defiant ones.  
"Never." Aveline sneers, kneeing him in the place she had hit earlier.

Her knee connects and hits his diaphragm, the breath from his lungs leaving in a whoosh. She follows with a right hook to his face and shoves his dazed form off her. Pushing him to his stomach, she pulls his arms behind him and straddles his waist, laughter bubbling up from inside her. He stops struggling, his face relaxing slightly as confusion washes over it.

"What is so humorous?" Connor says, spitting dirt from his mouth as his face is pressed into the dirt. It only drives her amusement as she doubles over and releases her grip on his arms, rolling onto her back beside him. He turns over to lay on his back, surprised at the smile growing on his face and the chuckle coming from within him. Their laughter eventually dies down as they sit in the clearing, watching the sky from the gap in the trees. They laid close on the ground, their arms warm where they touched. He drops his hand from his stomach, brushing her hand in the process but she doesn't flinch from the touch. The sky had begun to turn color before anything was spoken.

"Your nose is bleeding." Aveline smirks, turning to face him.  
"You have leaves in your hair." Connor says.

She brings her hand up to his nose and he stills, she draws it down the bridge checking for breaks before quickly withdrawing it. They stare each other in the fading light before Aveline shivers. He stands, brushing the dirt from his clothes before extending a hand down to Aveline and pulling her up. The movement brings them within inches of each other, neither willing to move away first. He slowly brings his hand up to her hair, gently pulling the foliage from it. On impulse, he lets his hand drift down to her face when he is done and lightly rests it on her cheek. Her eyes are unblinking, surrounded by thick lashes and eyes that shine back at him like dark embers. She shivers again, goosebumps rippling across her skin in the cold. Frowning, he glances down to see she has no jacket on. He pulls his off, slinging it around her shoulders but leaving his hands around the collar.

"Thank you." Aveline whispers, her hands reaching up to cup his before lightly pulling them away. "I'm afraid we must be getting back though, I'd like to prepare dinner & clean up the mess I made on your face."

He nods and moves away to pick up their discarded swords, cold air rushing in where she had been close. They walk back to the house in silence, arms brushing as they walk.

"We'll pick up the lessons again tomorrow." Aveline says, breaking the silence between them as they round the house. Smiling to himself, training might not be so bad if it ended like it had tonight.

Entering the house, he pulls his usual demeanor into place, not wanting Achilles to pry but the old man is no where in sight. Aveline takes off his jacket & rests it over a chair before she disappears into another room. He pulls the chair out & sits down, waiting as she returns with a bottle of whiskey & a cloth. She pulls a chair next to him & sits down, pouring some of the liquid onto the cloth. Her free hand comes up to his chin, tilting it towards her.

"This might hurt a little." Aveline says quietly, her eyes calm & reassuring as they gaze into his.

Gently, she wipes the blood from his face & nose, careful to not hurt him. As she works, he takes the time to really look at her. Her dark skin near matches his own, her full lips sit on a rounded chin, high cheek bones & a strong brow frames her stunning gem like eyes. His eyes roam over her face, too distracted to realize she's stopped her task. A sudden alien urge grows inside of him then, one that also had appeared back in the clearing, to touch his lips to hers. Their faces were close already, how easy it would be to just lean forward a little more...

A noise in front jolts them apart, as Achilles closes the door. Aveline jumps up, putting the cloth & whiskey onto the counter.

"I had been wondering if you would do us the pleasure of cooking again, I look forward to it greatly." Achilles says, entering the kitchen.

Noticing Connor's bruised up face, he looks between the two.

"Anything I should know?" Achilles says, a smile in his voice.  
"Just an accident during my sword lesson, nothing serious." Aveline says without turning around.

The man chuckles before walking off to his room. If it was nothing as she had said, why did he, no _they_, feel the need to bolt from the room upon Achilles entrance?

**Here is the very VERY long awaited chapter. I am extremely sorry at taking so long to post a new chapter, life has been crazy. In return I decided to make the chapter longer than usual & give you some interesting...developments ;) This chapter would've been out sooner, had I not obsessed over my poor dialog & writing. I am slightly worried though at the portal I'm giving Connor as we know he is naive in these matters, but the way I see is he's still (obviously) a man & I don't think he's completely blind as he's likely seen couples kiss & what not. It's just odd for him as he's never taken notice before nor cared to. This chapter serves to really set the grounds for their attraction, if that wasn't obvious, but there's more to come. Next chapter will be within a week, I'm trying to get back into my usual schedule. Hope you enjoyed & please leave feedback! :)**


	8. Hiatus

This story is on Hiatus until I figure out how to continue (that's why I haven't updated in forever, I didn't think any of the material I wrote was good enough), which is where all you readers come in. The last chapter I posted didn't get as many views or comments I thought it would, & it could be due to the fact it was posted a month after the last chapter, I don't know.

Now Aveline's only been at the homestead for a few days (3 or 4), but we haven't heard of mention anything of returning or talking about what George said to her before he died. Connor is soon to run into Haytham as he is waiting for his informant to gather information about where Benjamin Church was last seen.

Do you want a little more of relationship building between Aveline & Connor, or is it time to ship her back home & bring in Haytham? Please comment with what you'd like to see more of in future chapters.


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